


Mortal Traditions

by Illyrianwitchling



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: F/M, Fluff, cardan learns about christmas traditions, christmas in july, deck the brugh, how do we take our armor off?, jurdan-freeform, mistletoe kiss, one piece at a time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:01:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26032336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illyrianwitchling/pseuds/Illyrianwitchling
Summary: “Why do mortals use mistletoe for kissing?”Jude had to bite back a grin and stifle a laugh. Though the question by most people seemed ludicrous, this was Cardan. A fae and high king. Who knew nothing about mortal Christmas and the traditions that followed.
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 4
Kudos: 116
Collections: favorite on TFOTA





	Mortal Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Jurdannet's Christmas in July

Cardan pulled out a random book from the shelf, longing about the chaise. With a lazy confidence, only he could pull off. Jude should be coming up to their chambers soon. Having something to discuss with The Roach first. Sighing he thumbed through the book. Bored as his coal eyes darted back and forth over various texts and illustrations of plants. Scanning for someone of interest. Until he saw it.

_Mistletoe_

A plant generally used in low-grade poisons. That’s not what caught his eye. There were hundreds of plants and herbs used for the same thing. What stole his attention was at the bottom of the description. In the same elegant scripture as the rest; _Mortals are known to use mistletoe during their holidays. Hanging the plant above one another for a kiss._

Cardan snorted out a response at the ridiculousness of it, tossing the aged book with its tethered edges aside. Why hang a plant for a kiss. When you can just kiss that person. It made no sense to him. If he were honest he didn’t believe this was true. There was someone who did. And by the footsteps outside the door, he’d get his answer soon. The door swung open as Jude strode in closing the door with a soft click. Rolling her head from side to side as yawned making her way over to chaise. Cardan angled himself further up on the velvet cushions. Jude sat next to him before scooting into his embrace. Ringed fingers brushing through her hair.

“I’m sorry. I was late, “ She looked up at him meeting his gaze, holding it. Cardan held at curiosity in his features, almost boyish in innocence. Jude angled her head, fixing him an odd look. He only had expressions like that when he thought of things in the mortal realm. To her recollection, they hadn’t discussed anything as of late, “What?”

“Why do mortals use mistletoe for kissing?”

Jude had to bite back a grin and stifle a laugh. Though the question by most people seemed ludicrous, this was Cardan. A fae and high king. Who knew nothing about mortal Christmas and the traditions that followed. She’s done her best to explain and answer most of the questions. There were still some mortal things she couldn’t explain. Like this. She remembered her parents kissing under the mistletoe. Once she and her sisters came to Elfhame, traditions like mistletoe fell away. Yet by his face, he was truly curious about it. Like he couldn’t fathom the idea, but desperately needed to understand. That look she had come to adore, it sped her heartbeat up every time. 

“I’m not sure why they do. I was too young to understand it. I just know they do it,” She sat up as Cardan did, He kept her close to his chest with an arm steadied around Jude, his wife leaned against the spider silk doublet, “It seemed a couple thing,” she shrugged,” My mother and father did it during Christmas time,” he didn’t miss the distant fondness the glimmered in her amber eyes. Like she was recalling memories from long ago. Jude chewed her bottom lip, working her jaw debating on continuing

“My sweet villain, my cunning wife,” kissing her temple, the coolness of his rings sliding in between her fingers as he squeezed gingerly, “Take off your armor. We promised each other.”

She nodded knowing what he meant. When they both agreed through time, they would take off their armor one piece at a time for each other. Reliving a time long forgotten when her days were filled with cartoons, fish sticks, and ketchup was a part of that so-called armor. Even the happier memories like this stung her like the prick of a blade on a fingertip. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed in his arms and told of him of mortal things during Christmas.

First, she spoke of Santa. How he was this jolly old man in a red suit. Who had a sleigh with reindeer, jumped down chimneys, and set gifts for children on the nice list and coal for ones on the naughty. She went over the tradition of stockings hung over a fire that this jolly man filled with treats. Cardan wasn’t sure if he believed this Santa. The idea seemed preposterous in his head. A man with a large belly that fit in a chimney, Somehow knew if every child was good or bad. He wondered briefly what list Jude would be on. What list he would have been if he were human. Regardless this Santa had to be fae. if he were real, which Cardan doubted. Still, the question bugged him.

“Jude, is this Santa fae? I’ve never heard of him.”

She laughed a honeyed laugh that made Cardan’s pule race and his heart thunder beneath his chest, “No. I don’t believe so. He’s make-believe. Vi told me he wasn’t real our first winter in Faerie. Just an old man at the mall or sometimes our father dressed up to put the presents under the tree.”

Cardan’s face scrunched up, nose wriggled and brows pressed together, “Why bother with the tale? To make children behave?”

“I think so. It worked. We always behaved and got presents. Now are gonna let me finish?”

“Yes, go on wife. Tell me of this tree.”

And she did. She told him of the fir tree that sat in the corner of her old living room. How her parents pulled out decorations, ornaments, and lights. She spoke with fondness how Vi, Taryn, and herself helped string lights on trees and apparently on the home as well. How they hung up shiny round orbs of every color over the tree in different spots. The mistletoe was brought up. when his wife explained her father hovering it over her mother and she kissed him. Jude commented that through December her parents used the mistletoe daily and randomly. Then the High queen went back to tree decorating, mentioning the three sisters would fight and argue over who would put the star on the tree. A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips when she said, “and I lost all the time. Either Vi beat us to it or because I kicked Taryn,”

“That doesn’t sound like a nice list thing my queen.”

“It wasn’t.”

Jude kept on telling him of Christmas. Once she peeled off this particular piece of armor, she couldn’t help but take off more and more of it. She spoke of hot chocolate, movies, and music. Films were the last thing they talked of in the mortal realm so it wasn’t too much of a surprise to him to hear. Another smile on her red lips when she told him of the heavy snow that fell every year, blanketing the earth. They had snow in Elfhame; it was never heavy the way it had been in Maine. Which explained the odd expression on her husband when she spoke of making snow angels, snowball fights, and snowmen. She explained the snow was thicker there and big enough to lay in. Where you extend arms and legs almost like flapping and then you make an angel. Then went on to describe snowmen and snowball fights. Cardan watched as her face seemed to brighten at the images in her mind. He didn’t understand the concept of collecting snow into balls and stacking them to create a person. He did. He just didn’t see the point. Jude met his curious gaze, stating how it was just fun and family time. Jude brought up the mistletoe again. This time it was her mother holding it as their father bent to kiss her in the middle of making snowmen.

There were other small details Jude mentioned. Candy canes, ice skating, the excitement of Christmas morning when you opened gifts and cards that you sent to others. The last major things she mentioned were Christmas dinner and baking. Which somehow came back around to that Santa Claus. Jude quickly explained she, Vi, and Taryn helped her mother in the kitchen. Using flour, sugar, sprinkles, and various candies to make cookies of different flavors and designs. Her father would hold the mistletoe over every one of them waiting for a kiss. The kitchen would end up in utter chaos after it was done. The fondness and rare softness in her voice told him she didn’t mind it, in fact, she missed it. She missed all of it.

Jude told him of her mother busying about in the kitchen. Mostly by herself as she roasted turkey, ham, garden vegetables, and whipped up her homemade mashed potatoes. His queen breathed in deeply, eyelids falling shut like she could smell all the wondrous flavors from her childhood home. He didn’t want to ask, but he couldn’t help it.

“Did Madoc honor any of these traditions?” 

Her silence was his answer. He knew before she asked. Madoc had an odd way of loving Jude and Taryn, so he hoped he was wrong.

“No. We honored winter solstice, much like you and the rest of the fae folk.”

“But you miss it?” he asked. Studying her movements and her face. The way his high queen flinched slightly as she went still as night in his arms. It was one of the comforting ways she lied.

Over the months Cardan paid close attention to Jude. Her words and the way she moved and how her expressions shifted. Learning when she lied. She had tells for different situations. He remembered most of them now. For instance, when Jude was ready to lie in a relaxed state, her nose twitched, adorably so he might add. He wouldn’t tell her that. Whether a stray strand of hair fell over her ear or not, she tucked it away. Lips pressed together moving back and forth. Then she would breathe in and breathe out slowly as she did.

“No,” she lied, dropping a hand to his thigh, “I didn’t tell you before I started, but that was your bedtime story.”

“Ah, such a child of High King I must be, to get a bedtime story,” he teased, placing a hand over his heart.

She tugged him towards the bed, “Maybe there’s an epilogue on those sheets,” she quipped, with a smirk and arching her brows.

That night they laid tangled in the sheets. Feeling the smooth, silkiness against their bare skin. Jude slept soundly after Cardan worshipped her body in every delectable, sinful way possible. Even though Jude told her memories and traditions with relative ease. He saw the brokenness hidden under her armor, her mask. He wanted to take away that feeling from her, it was the best he could do. By the deep, slumbered breaths along his neck it worked, he pleasurably wore her out. Cardan smirked at the thought, brushing messy strands from her face. Watching Jude sleep peacefully. Cardan couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about mortal Christmas and what it meant to Jude. Before he knew it, his mind started to form a plan.

***

One month later, Jude woke to a chill in the air. Winter Solstice was coming up in a few days. Everyone in the palace, even Cardan seemed to have been busy getting things ready. He left her to the day to day activities. Figures he would take in part with the parties than the laws. It didn’t bother her. She knew more of the politics and the laws thanks to Madoc. She turned in the bed to find Cardan gone. A note left where his body was hours ago. Jude reached over, picking up the small piece of parchment, roughly the size of her palm. Turning it over she read the few words before her:

_To my dearest Jude,_

_When you wake, meet me in the throne room._

_Forever yours,_

_Cardan_

Jude sat up, entwining her fingers together stretching arms out in front of her. When she noticed a gossamer gown hanging in the wardrobe. A deep emerald hue, like the leaves on the trees in a forest, accented with silver swirls like winter winds. Dare she say it seemed rather festive for a day with the living council. Tatterfell showed up a few moments later. Complaining a high queen shouldn’t be in bed still regardless of the icy weather outside, that made Jude want to stay in the warmth of her sheets. Tatterfell was right and besides, Cardan was waiting. She wondered what it could be about. Asking her on the revel for the solstice seemed unlikely. There wasn’t much else she could think of. Though he had been cleverly changing subjects when she questioned him. Which wasn’t lying since he couldn’t anyway. 

It didn’t take long for Tatterfell to finish up, yet the imp still marveled at her work. Jude’s bangs swept up and pinned back. The rest of her auburn hair fell into loose soft saves down her back. The elder imp stated it was at the King’s request. She lined her eyes with kohl and rouge on her lips. Jude slipped into the gown. Fitting and clinging to her like a perfectly fit glove. When she gave it a spin the silver swirls truly looked like wisps of winds bustling through leaves in a winter storm. It hugged her curves and shapely breasts, she knew Cardan, her insatiable husband, picked this out for her. One look over in the mirror and she readied to meet him.

Entering the throne room she stood silent. Unbelieving at the scene before her. There wasn’t much yet. A bare fir tree that glowed in some places and almost touched the ceiling smelling like Christmas in and of itself. Heather, Vi, and Oak were by it rifling through boxes of ornaments. Tacky little Merry Christmas signs, snowmen, candy canes, and Santa wall pieces clung to the wall already. Heather and Vi appeared to bring a record player as it played, winter wonderland in the background. Jude noticed the glittering lights were in fact fireflies and sprites high above. The glow in the tree was from them as well she guessed. The throne room was transforming before her eyes into Christmas like days since passed. She heard a jingle from behind her then over her head. Jude’s eyes flicked up to a tuft of inky black fur, a small brass bell, and mistletoe. She turned to meet the swooning grin of her husband. The one that made her heart skip a bit and yet hit him. A look that said I pulled off something that would make her melt and knew it too. 

“I asked Vi for help and she was more than willing. I had planned on having the room decorated for you. I thought it would be better for you to join,” he dangled his tail again, “ I remembered you said it was a family thing and so was this,” his arms twined around her waist, “You are my family Jude. I wanted to do this with you,” her hands splayed over his shirt, the same color as her gown, “There’s mistletoe on my tail if you didn’t see it already.”

She cupped his cheek, a thumb caressing his cheekbones, his onyx eyes shinning with can only be described as adoration, “Why do you say things lovely and the something so stupid.”

“It’s a part of my charm you love so much,” he quipped.

She rolled her eyes, closing the distance between them in a sweet, tender kiss, “Thank you,” she breathed against his lips.

“Anything for you my queen. Anything.” he kissed her soundly this time, his tail swinging behind with a small jingle, she broke apart laughing.

“You’re gonna wear that thing all day and use it to your advantage aren’t you?”

“Oh sweet Jude, adorable you think I’ll only wear it for the day,” he winked as she groaned fully regretting telling him about mistletoe, “Come we have a room to decorate it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on Tumblr @ Sweetlyvillainous


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